APA 6th Edition Format and DocumentationStudent Name:Instructor:

Date:Course:

About This DLAImportant NoteAll the activities (2) in the DLA must be completed in their entirety before meeting with a tutor and receiving credit. Where indicated, complete your work on this sheet. If your instructor wants evidence of this completed DLA, return this form to him or her with the tutor’s signature included.

Learning OutcomesThrough independent work, students will be able to identify the sections of a typical APA paper, correctly complete in-text citations, and format citations appropriately in a references list.

Activities (approximately 1 hour)Read the information, complete the activities that follow, and be prepared to discuss your answers when you meet with a tutor.

NoteThis DLA is meant to be used in conjunction with the Writing Center’s APA handouts. Please obtain them before working on this DLA. In addition, you can visit mtsac.libguides.com/citations for the Mt. SAC library’s brief APA overview, and you can visit owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style for a more in-depth APA documentation guide from Purdue University.

Understanding APA Format and DocumentationAPA style is the formatting and citation system of the American Psychological Association. This style is commonly used for papers written in the behavioral and social sciences, such as psychology, education, and child development.

Types of APA papers APA papers are divided into sections labeled by headers, and the type of paper you are writing will determine which sections you need to include. There are roughly two types of APA papers: literature reviews and original research reports. If your paper falls into neither category, use the sections that are most appropriate for your topic or ask your professor for guidance.Original Research ReportsIf you have conducted original research, then you will write this type of APA paper. These reports are more fixed in the sections you include because you need to explain the process, results, and implications of your research.

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DLA: APA 6th Edition 2Literature ReviewsIn a literature review, you summarize several articles about a specific issue or problem. You then evaluate and synthesize this information to illuminate the problem and suggest possible solutions or further areas for research. Literature reviews have more flexibility in the sections used, and you can arrange your information in a way that best suits your topic.

Organization of APA PapersOnce you have determined which kind of APA paper you’re writing, you can proceed with its organization. Please see the Writing Center’s sample APA paper, available where the center’s other research handouts are located, for examples of the following sections.

Title PageThe title page includes the paper’s title, your name, and the name of your school. It also has a header that begins with the phrase “Running head:” and is followed by a shortened version of your paper’s full title. On subsequent pages, omit the phrase “Running head:” from the header. The title page should be numbered page “1” in your document.

AbstractThe abstract is a 150 to 200 word summary of your paper. It should include the paper’s purpose and main points, giving the reader an overall picture of your work. It is also an opportunity for you to explain any abbreviations or acronyms used in your paper. The abstract is on its own page, titled “Abstract,” and should be numbered page “2” in your document.

Main BodyThe main body is your paper itself and should start on page “3” of your document. The sections you use will depend on what kind of paper you’re writing, but the following sections are typical for an APA formatted paper. You do not start a new page each time you begin one of the following sections.Headings in the main body of your paper should be boldface and centered.IntroductionYour paper should have an introduction that states your topic’s importance and explains how your paper will contribute to a better understanding of the issue being discussed. If you are writing about a controversial topic, you should explain both sides of the issue without any bias. If your paper involves original research, you should discuss the objectives of your research and the hypotheses you had before research began.Since the introduction is the first section of your paper, it does not need to be labeled unless the assignment directions state otherwise.Literature ReviewMost papers have a literature review that summarizes previous research and articles about your topic. You must be selective in this area and choose sources that are clearly relevant to your paper. The literature review should show a clear link between the purpose of your paper and the previous work written about this topic.

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DLA: APA 6th Edition 3Method & ResultsIf you conducted original research, the method section is the place for you to describe your research design and process. You can divide this section into smaller subsections if necessary, such as participants, materials, and procedure. The results section is a summary of the data you collected. You can include some charts in this section that highlight interesting findings, but extensive charts should go into an appendix, which is described later. DiscussionThe discussion section is the analytical section of your paper in which you interpret and evaluate your findings. For a literature review, this section is the place for you to synthesize information from the articles you previously summarized and provide your original perspective on the topic. You should not simply repeat points that you have already made in your paper or continue to summarize sources; instead, each paragraph should be adding to the reader’s understanding of the issue.If you have conducted original research, the discussion section should clearly state whether your results confirm or contradict your original hypothesis. You should also discuss the similarities and differences between your results and the results of other studies. In addition, the interpretation of your results should acknowledge any factors that may have influenced the outcome of your research.ConclusionThe conclusion returns to the importance of your topic and the larger issues at stake. Generally, you should also make recommendations for necessary actions or future research topics. You might also discuss aspects of the issue that remain unresolved and new considerations that have arisen in light of your research and discussion.

ReferencesYour references page lists all of the sources that you cited in your paper. It is titled “References” and is on its own page. The general format for an APA reference entry is as follows:1. Author: Entries are alphabetized by author last name. Only use initials for first and middle names.2. Date: Use the date given in the publication. Generally speaking, you will write the year for books or

journals, the year and month for monthly publications, and the year, month, and day for weekly or daily publications.

3. Title: The titles of books, journals, and other long works are italicized. Do not put article titles in quotation marks. Only capitalize the first word of book and article titles and any proper nouns. For the titles of journals, magazines, and newspapers, capitalize all words of four letters or more, and always capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, regardless of length.

4. Place of publication and publisher (books): Use the information found on the book’s title page.5. Volume, issue, and page numbers (articles): Volume numbers are italicized and issue numbers

are in parentheses. Use “p.” or “pp.” for newspaper pages but not journal or magazine pages.6. Retrieval information (online sources): Use a DOI (digital object identifier) if available; if not, use

the URL of the website’s homepage. Only include a retrieval date if the source you are using is unstable and likely to change.

Examples:BookSapolsky, R. M. (2017). Behave: The biology of humans at our best and worst. New York, NY: Penguin

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DLA: APA 6th Edition 4Journal ArticleLittle, B. R. (2015). The integrative challenge in personality science: Personal projects as units of analysis.

Journal of Research in Personality, 56, 93–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2014.10.008Note: When including a DOI, the “https://” is optional. You can also complete a journal article with a DOI as follows:

Little, B. R. (2015). The integrative challenge in personality science: Personal projects as units of analysis. Journal of Research in Personality, 56, 93–101. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2014.10.008

Online SourceQuast, L. (2017, March 6). Why grit is more important than IQ when you're trying to be successful.

Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com.For a detailed example of a references page with a more extensive list of entries, please refer to the APA handouts available in the Writing Center or the Mt. SAC library.

AppendicesIf your paper includes charts or other supplementary materials, the place for these is in an appendix. Each appendix begins on a new page. If you only have one appendix, this page is titled “Appendix.” If you have multiple appendices, then they will be titled “Appendix A,” “Appendix B,” and so on.

In-Text CitationThe citation of sources in the body of your paper is vital for academic integrity. Whether you are directly quoting an article, paraphrasing, or summarizing an idea that influenced your paper, you must always cite your source.

Signal PhrasesA signal phrase notifies your reader that you are about to introduce a source. It usually includes the author’s last name followed by the publication date in parentheses and a suitable reporting verb; commonly used reporting verbs are listed below. Note that APA requires the use of simple past or present perfect when introducing a source.

admittedagreedargued

assertedbelievedclaimed

comparedconfirmedcontendeddeclareddenied

emphasized

insistednoted

observedpointed out

reasonedrefuted

rejectedreported

respondedsuggestedthoughtwrote

Examples: Jameson (2015) has noted that “. . .” Paulson (2011) claimed the following: “. . .” “. . . ,” reasoned Wang (2014).

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DLA: APA 6th Edition 5When introducing authors for the first time, you should establish their credibility by including their credentials, title, or experience. The credibility of your sources bolsters your own credibility as a responsible researcher and informed writer.

Incorporating SourcesOnce you have introduced your source with a signal phrase, you can choose to insert it as a summary, a paraphrase, or a direct quotation, then conclude with a parenthetical citation.SummaryA summary is written in your own words, expresses only the main points of a source, and condenses the length considerably. A summary is a good choice when you want readers to understand the source’s argument before you respond with your own. Summaries are also useful when you wish to compare ideas from several sources. Although a summary is written in your own words, you must cite the source.Example In the book Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman (2011) summarized his research on the human mind

and its two modes of thinking: fast and intuitive versus slow and deliberative.ParaphraseWhen you paraphrase a source, you are putting the author’s ideas into your own words. A paraphrase is generally the same length as the original source and has about the same level of detail. You may choose to paraphrase a source when the ideas rather than the exact words are what matters. Paraphrasing is also a good option if you are trying to simplify a source or reorder its ideas.You must use your own vocabulary and sentence structure when writing a paraphrase. If you use the original sentence structure and merely swap out a few words, or if you borrow substantial phrases from the original source without placing them in quotation marks, this is plagiarism. Try to write a paraphrase without looking at the source to avoid excessive use of the author’s language.Make clear where the paraphrase begins, which is usually done with a signal phrase. A parenthetical citation marks the end of a paraphrase. Whether the length of your paraphrase is one sentence or several, readers will understand that everything between the signal phrase and the parenthetical citation is from another source.As with a summary, you must always cite the original source of your paraphrase. While it is not required that you include a page or paragraph number, you should do so if it will help the reader locate the source of your paraphrase.Example Little (2006) argued that the engagement in core personal projects is at the heart of human well-

being. However, the sustainability of these projects can be influenced by both internal and external factors, and human struggle arises from the inability to either regulate internal factors or negotiate external ones (p. 423).

Direct QuotationA direct quotation is the insertion of the author’s exact words into your paper. You may choose to use a direct quotation when the language itself is very powerful or is needed for accuracy. Quotations of forty words or more must be inserted as a block quote.

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DLA: APA 6th Edition 6Avoid the excessive use of quotations, as it leads to choppy writing and an overreliance on the words and ideas of others. The focus of your paper should always be on your own argument and in the way you synthesize the sources you have chosen.Example K. Sheldon, M. Sheldon, and Nichols (2007) have argued that “the Big Five approach cannot handle

true human uniqueness; every person is reduced to five numbers, and the ways in which two people with the same trait profile can nonetheless differ considerably are not addressed” (p. 1073).

ActivitiesCheck off each box once you have completed the activity.

☐ 1. APA Format and Documentation ReviewPlease answer the following questions.

Write your answers.

1. What sections are in a typical APA paper?

2. Which verb tense is used when introducing a source for an AP paper?

3. Which elements are included for a citation on your references list?

☐ 2. Citation PracticeComplete the in-text citation and references list entry for each of the following sources. For the in-text citations, you must add closing punctuation as well. Please refer to the Writing Center’s APA handouts for further help.

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DLA: APA 6th Edition 7Citation 1Element Source InformationSource Type BookTitle Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters MostAuthor Hendrie Weisinger and J.P. Pawliw-FryPublisher Crown Business, New YorkYear 2015Page 91

In-Text CitationWeisinger and Pawliw-Fry ( ______________ ) explained relative gain as a “mind-set in which we get so focused on one part of an outcome that we miss other important factors. This perspective can lead individuals to make bad decisions and commit actions that they inevitably regret” ( _________ )

References List Entry

Citation 2Element Source InformationSource Type ArticleTitle The Effects of Boredom, Loneliness, and Distress Tolerance on Problem Internet Use

Among University StudentsAuthor Jason Skues, Ben Williams, Julian Oldmeadow, and Lisa WiseJournal International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, Volume 14, Issue 2Date April 2016Page 167-180, quote on page 176DOI 10.1007/s11469-015-9568-8

In-Text CitationIn their article about problem internet use, Skues, Williams, Oldmeadow, and Wise ( ______________ ) wrote, “As a result of frequently turning to the internet for distraction and mood regulation, individuals fail to develop or practice more appropriate long-term strategies for regulating habitual behaviours and dealing with negative states” ( _________ )

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DLA: APA 6th Edition 8 References List Entry

Citation 3Element Source InformationSource Type WebsiteTitle MarijuanaAuthor National Institute on Drug AbuseDate June 2018URL https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana

In-Text CitationAs reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse ( ______________ ), “Marijuana is the illicit drug most frequently found in the blood of drivers who have been involved in vehicle crashes, including fatal ones” ( _________ )

References List Entry

☐ 3. Review the DLAGo to https://mtsac2.mywconline.com and use the Mt. SAC Writing Center Appointment System to make a DLA appointment, or sign-up to see a tutor on the “DLA Walk-in” list in the Writing Center. During your session with a tutor, refer to your own graded writing (or the completed activity) and explain your work to demonstrate your understanding of APA citation style. Student’s Signature:Tutor’s Signature

Date:Date:

If you are an individual with a disability and need a greater level of accessibility for any document in The Writing Center or on The Writing Center’s website, please contact the Mt. SAC Accessible Resource Centers for Students, access@mtsac.edu, (909) 274-4290.

Revised 9/03/2019

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